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Showing posts from August, 2013

Rethinking Turkish Concept in the Balkans and the Turkey's wider region By Jahja Muhasilović

We are witnessing more active Turkish policy in the Balkans in the last few years. Turkey with its new AKP government and with the coming of the foreign relations minister Ahmet Davutoğlu to power is trying to develop a new foreign policy which is trying to position Turkey as a more influential player, and not just in the Balkans, but also in all the neighboring regions.  When it comes to Balkans, Turkey has a problem with changing its image in the region which was for a long time poisoned by nationalistic elite and academia of the region. Not just in political, but also in the academic circles, Ottoman history was perceived in a very subjective manner.  This generated hatred and untruthfulness toward the Turks in the region which has its deep roots going back to middle ages. Ottoman period of history is still seen as a main obstacle in development of the region by many today. For the nationalist historiography which still is influential in the region's nation-states, Ottomans are